Graham recalls England’s 1966 World Cup victory for TV

England's soccer captain Bobby Moore, carried shoulder high by his team mates, holds aloft the FIFA World Cup, July 30, 1966.

Published:12:21Saturday 30 July 2016

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A Clarets fan who was one of the 96,924 people at Wembley for the 1966 World Cup Final will appear in an ITV documentary looking back on England’s greatest footballing achievement 50 years on from the historic 4-2 win over West Germany.

Graham Holehouse was 18 when he attended the match, having just finished his A Levels at Nelson Secondary Technical, and will feature on the ITV documentary ‘1966: A Nation Remembers’.

The programme looks back on the inspirational event, with ITV claiming it ‘provides a colourful insight into a magical sporting summer... as well as using some unseen archive footage.’

“I had never been to London on my own before, and the train fare of £5 return was a lot of money to me,” said Graham, a recently-retired businessman and former owner of Hudson and Pearson Printers, which has printed numerous Burnley FC publications, including the biography of club legend, Jimmy McIlroy.

“I don’t think that I had ever been further than Manchester on my own. I had an incredible day. I got lost, got cramp on the train, met Edward Heath who signed my programme and stood behind the goal where the controversial goal was scored.

“I survived the entire day on a bar of chocolate. I saw Cassius Clay (as he then was) and Harold Wilson. I still have part of the Final Ticket, which cost me 10 shillings [about 50p].”

On that fateful day in 1966, West Germany took an early lead through Helmut Haller, before Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters powered England ahead, only for Wolfgang Weber to net a last minute equaliser. An injury-time brace from Hurst, however, secured the momentous victory for Alf Ramsey’s side on the one and only occasion England have hosted the tournament.

“When the programme is playing, I’ll be returning from Glasgow, having seen Burnley in a warm-up game against Rangers. That journey, like the one 50 years ago, will end in Colne,” said Graham. “I have already set record on the TV planner!”